Jun 17

Written by: deb
6/17/2015 6:42 AM 

All parents try to find fun activities for their children during the summer months. Here are some ideas for some summer fun and for keeping skills fresh!

***Teachers can send a summer packet home with the students to help keep math skills fresh.


* Volunteer! The library, animal shelter, hospital, and other places are always looking for good volunteers!

* Join the library's summer reading program!

* Go on a biking adventure with family members!

* Spend a day at a lake or river!

* Make a "slip & slide" and slip, slide down a good hill!

* Visit a state or national park and go exploring!

* Become a summer bird watcher! Identify the birds that you find on walks or outings to parks.

* Play hopscotch!

* Play Hide and Seek!

* Jump rope! This will surely keep you in shape!

* Play stick ball!

* Buy small plastic boats at a dollar store and have boat races in a creek or river!

* Make a golf course in your backyard! Use empty vegetable cans for the "holes" and play away!

* Go to the local zoo! Take along a notebook and write down interesting facts that you learn about your favorite animals.

* Play "Categories"....print off this free page. Only unique items will count...if no one else has the same item listed.

* Make up a list and go on an outdoor scavenger hunt! Ideas: Find a red rose, crack in the sidewalk, swing, slide, ladybug, butterfly, robin, etc.

* Camp out in the backyard!

* Go bowling! Teach your kids how to keep score. A new way to refresh addition skills.

* Learn a skill! Home Depot and other home improvement stores offer free workshops for kids.

* Read to a friend!

* Make and blow bubbles!

* Learn a new art project! You will be surprised what you can find online!

* Plant some seeds in a small pot and care for them!

* Plan a NO TV night and play board games or cards!

* Get some sidewalk chalk and create beautiful art on your driveway!

* Water fight! On a hot day, have a water balloon toss/fight.

* Choose a math, reading, writing, or language activity for your child every day. Find some FREE here.

* Choose a short play script and act it out! The library has collections.

* Go fly a kite at the park! You can make your own!

* Play kickball with the neighborhood kids!

* Make Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast!

* Make (or buy) a small bird feeder and fill with seed for the birds! Watch how many will come to your house for breakfast! Younger kids can count them. Ask older kids to subtract the ones that flew away.

* Summer clean your house and have a garage sale!

* Check the web for free concerts and other activities! Every neighborhood offers something.

* Have a "movie with friends" sleepover!

* Fly a paper airplane and measure its distance with a tape measure! Subtract the farthest distance from the shortest distance.

* Visit your local water park!

* Take your dog to the dog park!

* Make up a shopping list and have your child estimate how much each item will cost! Then, go to the store and have them write down the actual cost. When you return home, ask them to add it all up and see how close the estimate was to the actual cost.

* Go to the toy store and have your child make a "wish list" for the holidays!

* Take a fishing pole and visit a lake! (Make sure you get that license to fish though!)

* Go to a fish hatchery!

* Go to a nearby town for lunch or a picnic in a park!

* Teach your child how to make a simple dinner!

* Buy or borrow a puzzle and build it together!

* Go hiking in a new place! Start early in the morning if you live someplace hot! Take lots of water with you!

* Visit a museum in your town or a nearby city!

* Start a recycling project in your home! Bring cans to the recycling center and use that money for something fun!

* Help a neighbor! Ask your neighbor if you can help with yard work or anything he may need.

* Play school with friends! (Not boring if you make it fun!)

* Make a giant "memory" game for backyard fun! Use 8 x 10 card stock. Print or stencil two cards with exactly alike pictures. Create at least 20 of these. Play this as a regular table top memory game. (Laminate the cards for more durability).

* Create a lawn mini golf course by using vegetable cans for the "holes."

* Make a backyard bowling alley. Use sports bottles and fill 1/4 with water. Use food coloring to make colored bottles,if you wish! Use a basketball or volleyball as your bowling ball.

* Play horseshoes!

* Learn a new game that your grandparents/parents used to play! Red Rover? 7 Up? Circle Hopscotch?

* Learn to dance!

* Learn to swim or dive!

* Build sand castles! (No beach? Buy some play sand and build them in your back yard.)

* Write in a journal! Keep a writing journal of your summer days. Was this an especially good day? Write why!

* Pick a topic to talk about with friends or family members! Don't know enough about it? Do a search online to find out more.

* Does your town have a Bass Pro Shop? During the summer these stores offer fun child activities! Check your local store for details.

* Make breakfast for mom! Make breakfast for dad! (Father's Day is in June!)

* Play the license plate game if you go on a long trip! Write down the name of each state's plate as you see one.

* Play the ABC game on a long trip! In order find a word that begins with A, then B....on billboards, street name signs, etc.

* Just ENJOY every day!

Happy Teaching!

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